The shortlist for the 2020 Film London Jarman Award has been announced, celebrating the pioneering work of the UK’s foremost artist filmmakers, awarding £10,000 prize money. The artists selected for shortlist this year are:

• Michelle Williams Gamaker
• Hannah Quinlan and Rosie Hastings
• Jenn Nkiru
• Project Art Works
• Larissa Sansour
• Andrea Luka Zimmerman

The shortlisted artists’ work includes a two-channel Arabic language science-fiction film shot in black and white and a Jarmanesque exploration of gender set in an Art Deco Blackpool cabaret. Feature-length films tell the stories of London’s marginalised underworld characters whilst mesmerising collages combine archival analogue film stock with digital media to explore the history of Black techno music. Innovative collaborative films reveal the experience of autism and identity whilst other works re-stage politically problematic scenes from early 20th Century British and Hollywood studio films.

Adrian Wootton OBE, Chief Executive of Film London and the British Film Commission said: “With the impact of COVID-19 being felt so deeply by artists and exhibitors, we are more proud than ever to present this year’s Jarman Award shortlist and help raise the profile of this important body of original work, that questions and articulates the world around us. We would like to congratulate all six shortlisted artists and thank our funders, Arts Council England, as well as returning partners Whitechapel Gallery, and Genesis Cinema for all their vital support.”

The winner of the Jarman Award will be announced on 24 November. In the run-up to the event, art and film lovers can explore the work of the shortlisted artists online through a variety of our cultural venue partner websites, including the Whitechapel Gallery. There will also be a special weekend of online screenings, discussions and performances featuring all 6 shortlisted artists on 14 and 15 November.

The Jury who selected this year’s shortlist are: Andrea Lissoni, Director, Haus der Kunst, Munich, and Film London Board Member; Iwona Blazwick OBE, Director, Whitechapel Gallery; Artist and 2019 Jarman Award Winner, Hetain Patel; Shaminder Nahal, Commissioning Editor, Arts and Topical, Channel 4, and Tyrone Walker-Hebborn, Director, Genesis Cinema.

The Film London Jarman Award is presented by Film London in association with Genesis Cinema and Whitechapel Gallery.